About the Event

TEDMED is a global community of leading doers and thinkers from every walk of life. Our goal is to seed the innovations in health and medicine of today, making the breakthroughs of tomorrow possible.

We are best known for our annual three-day gathering that brings together inspiring speakers, influential Delegates and innovative start-ups.

TEDMED curates a unique and provocative program featuring brilliant short talks and stunning artistic performances that reframe the way we think and inspire critical new possibilities for the future of health and medicine. TEDMED also offers evening entertainments, thought-provoking conversations with Delegates and Speakers, and a showcase of inspiring bio-health startups that live in "The Hive".

The result is an immersive experience that challenges us to recharge our brains, ignite new thinking, energize our work and enlarge our worldview. We leave TEDMED imagining fresh possibilities and solutions for the future of health and medicine.

Photos from TEDMED 2014

From September 10-12, 2014, we are bringing together Delegates in two host cities - Washington, DC and San Francisco, CA- from across the globe for this year’s TEDMED gathering. These Delegates will simultaneously participate in a unified, digitally-linked program with equal numbers of live Speakers, Delegates, and innovative Hive startups.

We are proud to announce that TEDMED is partnering with medical research institutions Stanford Medicine and The University of California, San Francisco. Find out more.

The full stage program from both cities will be simulcast via TEDMEDLive Streaming to over 130 countries. TEDMED Live is available for free to thousands of medical organizations, academic institutions, teaching hospitals, non-profit organizations, government facilities worldwide.

Who Attends

TEDMED’s community is multi-disciplinary – our Delegates represent every field from A (architects) to Z (zoologists). They also cover every specialty within health and medicine, and the associated technical and scientific disciplines.

This breathtaking range of experiences and perspectives provides the richest possible landscape for creative collisions. Any chance meeting at TEDMED can lead to exciting new ideas and insights. Each conversation with a new person could reveal new trends, treatments and technologies – or spark them.

Are you passionate about creating a healthier world? Are you full of ideas on how to improve society's take on medicine? If so, you’re encouraged to bring your passion to TEDMED 2015. All applications are reviewed and answered within one day. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available.

TEDMED 2014 Schedule

TEDMED provides complimentary transportation via Trolleys that run on a continual loop from our listed hotels to and from the venues during mornings and evenings.Transportation to and from airports and at odd times back and forth to venues is on your own. This schedule is subject to change so be sure to check often for updates

TEDMED 2014 ONE EVENT, TWO STAGES

Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA
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​TEDMED 2014 links Washington, DC – the U.S. capital of healthcare policy and funding – with San Francisco, the leading center of medical research and innovation. The simultaneous, unified stage program features equal numbers of Delegates, Speakers and Hive startups in both venues.

TEDMED’s Washington, DC presence - The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - attracts America’s leading public officials in health and medicine. Last year’s TEDMED in Washington, DC included the Directors of the FDA, NIH, and CDC; the U.S. Surgeon General; the Chairman of the U.S. Institute of Medicine; and other numerous high-profile government officials and policy advocates.

TEDMED’s new San Francisco presence - The Palace of Fine Arts - will attract hundreds of leading scientists, doctors, researchers and policy experts from across the West Coast, including many prestigious leaders associated with our California medical research institution partners: Stanford Medicine and the University of California, San Francisco.

​Beyond policy and research leadership, Washington, DC and San Francisco, CA are also two of the nation’s most beautiful and artistically vibrant cities. From DC’s Kennedy Center and Smithsonian Museums to San Francisco’s famed Opera House, Exploratorium and Museum of Modern Art, both cities offer magnificent settings and provide a superb backdrop for TEDMED’s social events and evening celebrations.
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Where to Stay

TEDMED provides complimentary transportation during mornings and evenings. TEDMED Trolleys run on a continual loop from the hotels listed here to and from our venues. Transportation to and from airports and at odd times back and forth to venues is on your own. We have secured rooms at discounted rates at the following, nearby hotels in both locations - please ask for TEDMED rate.

The Melrose Hotel

TEDMED 2014 HOTELS IN SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Park 55 Wyndham-Union Square

Call Reservations at 888-228-1952 or 800-347-7559 and mention the TEDMED group

Sir Francis Drake

450 Powell Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

TEDMED Rate: $269.00

Call Reservations at 1-800-227-5480 (Choose Option #3 – Group Sales. During business hours request Reservations at extension 371) and mention the TEDMED

The Clift Hotel

495 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

TEDMED Rate: $299.00

Call Reservations at 1-800-652-5438 and mention TEDMED

The Fairmont

950 Mason Street
San Francisco, CA 94108

TEDMED Rate: $339.00

Call Reservations at 800-441-1414 and mention TEDMED

Hotel Monaco

501 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

SOLD OUT

The Hotel Adagio

550 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

SOLD OUT

PlanTEDMED 2014

What’s the best way to travel to TEDMED? What should you pack? Where should you stay? What are the best ways to get around the city? Below you can find informative answers and useful guidance for all these questions and many others.

Casual dress is always encouraged for TEDMED – we want our Delegates to be comfortable throughout the event. No need for jackets, suits or ties. Please plan on wearing comfortable shoes, as you may be walking a bit to and from sessions, breaks, meals and evening events. In some cases it can get chilly at night, so you may want to carry a sweater.

Washington, DC

September in the DC area is the end of a very hot and humid season - the temperatures will begin to cool down to the mid-high 70's on average. While not the rainiest month of the year, rain tends to appear and linger for a few days, so come prepared.

San Francisco, CA

​Often regarded as San Francisco's hottest month, you can expect the weather to be in the mid-70's during September. Fog and rain is lightest at this time of year.

Arriving and Leaving

It's best to arrive early so that you have enough time to settle in before the conference and to plan to stay until the very end of the last session. Each and every one of our talks is integral to the experience.

We suggest making post-conference travel plans, as well - both cities are full of superb museums and historic attractions. Many folks stay the weekend to relax and continue the conversation. Should you decide to do so, please make the appropriate hotel accommodations. Our hotels will extend our preferred rate 3 nights before and after the event, subject to availability.

Traveling to / from Washington, DC

The closest airport is the Reagan International Airport in Arlington, VA, which is a 25- to 35-minute drive to downtown D.C., depending on traffic. The airport is also a stop on the Metro rail line. Please follow these links for ground transportation optionsand driving directions
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During three days at TEDMED you’ll pack in more ideas, fun, energy and excitement than most of us experience during the year’s remaining 362 days put together.

You’ll arrive at the Kennedy Center early each morning to share a healthy gourmet breakfast with over 1,000 fascinating fellow Delegates, making connections and sharing perspectives.

You’ll rocket through a jam-packed, fast-paced day of amazing TEDMED talks and sessions, stimulating social breaks and inspiring artistic performances. After lunch onsite, you’ll visit social spaces where dozens of entrepreneurs and start-ups share their unique innovations, original thinking and powerful new technologies.During three days at TEDMED you’ll pack in more ideas, fun, energy and excitement than most of us experience during the year’s remaining 362 days put together.

You’ll arrive at the Kennedy Center early each morning to share a healthy gourmet breakfast with over 1,000 fascinating fellow Delegates, making connections and sharing perspectives.

You’ll rocket through a jam-packed, fast-paced day of amazing TEDMED talks and sessions, stimulating social breaks and inspiring artistic performances. After lunch onsite, you’ll visit social spaces where dozens of entrepreneurs and start-ups share their unique innovations, original thinking and powerful new technologies.

During your three days at TEDMED, you’ll pack in more ideas, fun, energy and excitement than most of us experience during the year’s remaining 362 days put together.

You’ll arrive at TEDMED early each morning to share a healthy, gourmet breakfast with an eclectic group of fascinating Delegates, making connections and sharing diverse perspectives.

You’ll rocket through a jam-packed, fast-paced day of amazing TEDMED talks and sessions, stimulating social breaks and inspiring artistic performances. After lunch onsite, you’ll visit various social spaces in "the Hive", where dozens of entrepreneurs and start-ups will talk about their unique innovations, original thinking and powerful new technologies.

Finally, you’ll unwind into the night with fellow delegates, forging lifelong friendships while enjoying some of the most spectacular sights in Washington, DC and San Francisco, CA.

So clear your calendar; be prepared to turn off your cell phone; and ignore your emails because TEDMED will command your full attention and demand your best thinking.

After only three days, you'll feel reenergized and inspired to imagine a better future in health and medicine.

TEDMED provides complimentary transportation via Trolleys from all the hotels listed under "Where to Stay" to and from the venues during mornings and evenings. Transportation to and from airports and at odd times back and forth to venues is on your own.

The Kennedy Center also has a shuttle bus from the Foggy Bottom Metro Station that runs every 15 minutes.

In San Francisco, the best mode of transportation for all non-TEDMED related activities is the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system, as well as Uber and the plentiful taxis that run throughout the city. For more information about getting around San Francisco, click here.

​For suggestions on transportation to and from airports in both locations, please refer to the "Plan Your Travel" section above.

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of medicine and healthcare, while the TED Conference (which operates the website
www.TED.com) has a broader focus.